The former CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch and his partner have been arrested on sex trafficking charges.
As per BBC News, Mike Jeffries and his British partner Matthew Smith were arrested on Tuesday morning.
A middleman allegedly involved in the operation was also detained.
Lawyers for both Jeffries and Smith have consistently denied any wrongdoing.
Jeffries' legal team responded to the arrest by stating: "We will respond in detail to the allegations after the Indictment is unsealed, and when appropriate, but plan to do so in the courthouse – not the media."
The investigation into Jeffries and Smith began after the BBC uncovered allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse involving men at events hosted by the couple in New York and various global locations.
The report detailed a sophisticated network of recruiters, overseen by a middleman, who sought out men for these events.
Following the revelations, a civil lawsuit was filed in New York accusing Jeffries and Smith of sex trafficking, rape, and sexual assault.
The lawsuit further alleges that Abercrombie & Fitch, under Jeffries' leadership, funded a sex trafficking operation over the course of two decades.
The pair are accused of abusing and sexually exploiting men at events hosted at their New York homes and in hotels across the globe between 2009 and 2015.
Brad Edwards, a civil attorney representing several alleged victims, confirmed the arrests, describing them as "monumental" in a statement.
"These arrests are a huge first step towards obtaining justice for the many victims who were exploited and abused through this sex-trafficking scheme that operated for many years under the legitimate cover Abercrombie provided," Edwards said.
He credited the BBC’s investigative reporting and the civil lawsuit filed by his firm for leading to the arrests, calling it a result of "impressive investigative journalism."
Brittany Henderson, a lawyer at the same firm, echoed these sentiments in a statement to CNBC, saying: "Today’s arrests are monumental for the aspiring male models who were victimized by these individuals."
Henderson added that the fight for justice is far from over, expressing the firm's intention to hold Abercrombie & Fitch accountable.
"We look forward to holding Abercrombie and Fitch liable for facilitating this terrible conduct and ensuring that this cannot happen again," she said.
Abercrombie & Fitch has also sought to dismiss the civil lawsuit, arguing that it had no knowledge of the alleged sex trafficking operation led by its former CEO.
The company stated in court documents that its leadership was "previously unaware of" the allegations until contacted by the BBC and condemned the alleged behavior, saying it "abhors sexual abuse."
Earlier this year, a U.S. court ruled that Abercrombie & Fitch is required to cover Jeffries' legal defense costs related to the civil case.
The court found that the allegations were connected to his role as CEO, following Jeffries’ lawsuit against the company for initially refusing to pay his legal fees.
